NEW YORK (Ticker) -- This time the reeling New York Knicks were
not so fortunate to miss out on either Shaquille O'Neal or Kobe
Bryant.

O'Neal bullied his way inside for 30 points and 15 rebounds and
Bryant added 27 points as the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a
107-91 victory over the Knicks.

"We're just taking care of business," O'Neal said. "We're
playing well on this road trip and we want to keep it going."

New York won both meetings from the Lakers last season, but the
7-1, 315-pounder O'Neal missed the game here in January 2001
with a sore left foot and Bryant was forced to leave the April
rematch at Los Angeles in the first quarter with an ankle
injury.

The Knicks had no such luck this time and were not much of a
match for Los Angeles, falling behind by 14 points by the end of
the first quarter and as many as 21 points in the second
quarter.

New York pulled within eight on two occasions in the second
half, but each time the Lakers responded with a run of their own
to get the lead back into double digits.

The crowd at Madison Square Garden was also lacking its usual
fire for the Lakers' annual trip.

"There wasn't a whole lot of energy in the arena today," Lakers
coach Phil Jackson said. "It was a surprise to come here and
not see that energetic crowd. But we did control the tempo and
pace of this game from the outset."

"It was eerie how quiet it was," said Lakers veteran guard Brian
Shaw. "In all the years I've visited as an opponent I don't
think I've ever seen it like this."

O'Neal scored all of his points through the first three quarters
and Robert Horry had 20, including four 3-pointers, for the
Lakers, who improved to 3-0 on a five-game road trip which
continues in Milwaukee on Tuesday and ends in Minnesota on
Wednesday.

"Robert Horry played a great game for us," Jackson said. "He
showed what versatility we have when he's in our lineup."

The loss was the fifth straight and ninth in 11 games for the
Knicks, who reside in last place in the Atlantic Division, 2 1/2
games behind the Miami Heat.

Latrell Sprewell led the Knicks with 22 points and Allan Houston
added 21, but they combined to shoot 16-of-40 from the field.

"We weren't hitting our shots," Knicks coach Don Chaney said.
"The problem with the Lakers is that they are such a well
balanced team. Naturally, Shaq will always be a problem, but
Kobe also."

The 6-9, 230-pound Kurt Thomas had the assignment of trying to
guard O'Neal, who used his massive frame to post up in the lane
for easy bank shots. But Thomas was able to score 17 points and
grab 10 rebounds.

"It was tough out there. He's a big fella," Thomas said. "I
just try to go out there and do the best that I could. He was
hitting his turnaround shots. That's what we wanted him to do
but he wasn't missing much tonight."

The 7-foot, 265-pound Felton Spencer came off the bench to spell
Thomas against O'Neal and committed four fouls in 10 minutes.

O'Neal had 10 points and Bryant scored eight in the first
quarter when the Lakers built a 32-18 lead. Los Angeles shot 68
percent in the quarter, converting 15-of-22 shots.

Bryant hit three jumpers, O'Neal had a pair of dunks, Horry
connected on a 3-pointer and Rick Fox added a tip-in as the
Lakers closed the period with a 15-4 run.

When Los Angeles increased the lead to 44-27 on a dunk by O'Neal
on a two-on-one break with 5:44 left in the half, the crowd at
Madison Square Garden serenaded the Knicks with a chorus of
boos. At that point, Sprewell was just 1-of-6 from the field
and Houston had converted only 2-of-7 shots.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Bryant and Fox gave the Lakers their
biggest lead at 52-31 with 3:18 remaining in the second quarter.

"We were just aggressive defensively, especially in the first
half," Bryant said. "I don't think we get enough credit for our
defense but we can get after people."

Sprewell finally showed signs of life, scoring nine points to
highlight an 11-2 run which pulled the Knicks within 54-42.

A driving layup by Derek Fisher capped the half, giving the
Lakers a 56-42 advantage.

The Knicks opened the second half with an 8-2 run as Thomas
converted a three-point play, Mark Jackson lofted a layup over
O'Neal and Sprewell hit a 3-pointer, pulling the Knicks within
58-50.

But O'Neal scored six straight points on a pair of free throws
and two bank shots in the lane over Spencer and Bryant added a
pair of free throws to open the lead to 66-50 with 7:28 left in
the third quarter.

"We battled, but it's tough to get back in the game against a
team like that when you dig yourself a hole like we did," Mark
Jackson said.

The Knicks responded with a 9-2 spurt as Sprewell converted
three jumpers and Houston added a 3-pointer.

However, a spinning layup by Bryant and a 3-pointer by Horry
ignited a 12-4 run which gave the Lakers an 80-63 advantage with
1:48 left in the third.

The Knicks followed with seven straight points on baskets by
Thomas and Sprewell and a 3-pointer by Houston before O'Neal
closed the quarter with a left baseline jumper for his last
basket of the game.

A 3-pointer by Charlie Ward pulled the Knicks within 91-83 with
5:48 left in the fourth quarter, but Fisher connected on an open
3-pointer and Devean George converted a three-point play with
4:46 remaining.

After a tip-in by New York's Shandon Anderson, Mark Madsen hit
1-of-2 free throws, Fisher converted another 3-pointer and
Bryant added a pair of free throws to open a 103-85 lead with
2:32 left.